Demand in the labor market continues to significantly outpace supply as the July labor report from the government showed that there approximately 1 million more job vacancies than there are people currently looking for work. Businesses, particularly in the service and retail industry have been struggling for months now after the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that the pandemic has come to an end for all intents and purposes, those businesses that survived are re-opening and hoping to do business.

The California Governor recall election is quickly approaching and the early reports indicate that the special election will be extremely close. Indeed, analysts for the Republican National Convention (RNC) are urging the California GOP not to endorse any particular candidate due to the fact that all indications point to a statistical tie in the election. The RNC is saying that if the California GOP endorses one candidate over another they could risk fragmenting voters and give the Democrat incumbent, Gavin Newsom, a boost just before the election.

At least eight students at Indiana University (IU) have filed an Emergency Application for Writ of Injunction with the US Supreme Court on Friday. The students are claiming that IU’s new policy regarding mandatory COVID-19 vaccines for students this year is unconstitutional because it violates their due process and bodily integrity under the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution. The students submitted the emergency injunction as litigation for the case could take months.

Throughout her short legislative career, Representative Cori Bush (D-Mo.) has been a radical advocate of defunding and even abolishing the police. Yet despite her abysmal regard for law enforcement, she has spent the most money on private security out of everyone in the US House of Representatives. According to a regular report from the Federal Election Commission, Bush has spent $70,000.00 on personal security.

The delayed and debated 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo Japan came to a close on Sunday. There was wonderful competition in this years Games despite some political drama due in large part to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ultimately the US emerged with the most medals total as well as the most medals of each type: gold, silver, and bronze.

With historically high temperatures and horrible drought, California is now experiencing the second largest wildfire in the state’s history. The Dixie Fire, burning in Northern California, is now approximately 724 square miles. The fire has generated a burned area that is now bigger than the area occupied by the city of Houston, Texas. In addition, as of Sunday morning, only 21% of the fire is contained.

The US has conducted a number of air strikes in Somalia over the past two weeks in order to target al-Qaeda connected groups in the region. No US troops are currently deployed in Somalia and US officials indicated that the airstrikes are in conjunction with local “combatant commander designated partner forces” and were for the purpose of “collective self-defense.” The most recent strike took place near Galmudug, Somalia.